Optomega Plus - A high quality, concentrated EPA and DHA dairy supplement produced from sustainable fish oils.

The Key Benefits of Using
Optomega Plus

Optomega Plus is an important product that will aid with animal fertility, health, milk yield and quality:

• EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) & DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) improve fertility rates
• EPA and DHA Essential Fatty Acids suppress the pregnancy-terminating hormone PGF2𝒶
• Reduction of Omega 6:3 ratios leading to better milk quality
• Better mammary tissue development and reduced inflammation in the udder, leading to higher milk yields
• Lowers levels of udder infection
• Improved fertility
• Improved colostrum quality

Reproduction Challenges

Ensuring optimum fertility is vital to the success of any dairy enterprise. Pregnancy rates of under 20% are all too common, whereas a target of 30-35% should be achievable. Cows that do not fall pregnant in a timely manner are one of the biggest reasons for involuntary culling in dairy herds, globally.

This is associated with significant costs in replacing these animals as well as reproductive costs and milk lost.

A recent study (Wittbank, 2016) demonstrated that whilst around 80% of services result in successful fertilisation of the egg, by day 28 post-insemination only 50% of cows are actually pregnant. This is reduced to 38% by day 42, demonstrating early embryonic mortality due to the failure of the materal recognition of pregnancy.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids & Fertility

The role of long-chain omega 3 fatty acids has been well researched in the last 20 years.

The essential fatty acids - EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) & DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) have been shown to suppress the production of PGF2𝒶, a hormone that terminates the pregnancy in the early stages.

EPA & DHA are more effective at suppressing PGF2𝒶 production than other omega 3 sources, such as 𝒶-linolenic acide (ALA) from linseed oil (see chart).

Enhanced Mammary Development in Dairy Cows

When Optomega Plus is introduced into a cow's ration, an improvement in membrane health occurs right through the whole body. The major benefit of using the product is increased fertility, however is is looking more and more probable that the effect on mammary tissue development is highly positive and will lead to increased milk production.

A trial was carried out at the University of Tehran, Iran, to assess the efficacy of Optomega, a source of EPA and DHA, on dairy cow mammary gland development and milk production. 10 multiparous Holstein dairy cows were randomly allocated to one of the two treatments (palm oil or fish oil supplied as Optomega) beginning 42 days prior to expected calving date, until 63 days in milk. Milk fatty acids content was determined on days 7 and 63 of lactation as well as samples of mammary tissue taken by a biopsy gun. Milk yield was measured each day and milk quality was considered weekly.

Tissue close-up images: Mammary tissue of dairy cows fed Optomega (Top) or Palm oil (Bottom)
(From: Barfourooshi et al., 2018, Ann. Anim. Sci 18 (4):973)

Study Results

Including Optomega Plus in dairy rations in the place of palm oil:

• Significantly increased milk yield from 6 weeks of lactation
• Elevated unsaturated fat and DHA content in the milk whilst reduced the n6:n3 ratio, providing consumer benefits.
• Significantly increased the proportion of epithelial cells in the mammary tissue whilst lowering stromal number, which may help to improve milk production capacity in Optomega Plus fed cows.
• Increased total alveoli number with improved consistency of size, suggesting a greater capacity to secrete milk.

Therefore, including Optomega Plus in the diet of dairy cows both pre and post-calving can help increase milk yield Trials are showing highly significant improvements in pregnancy rates.

Why Do You Need Optomega Plus?

You need Optomega Plus because of it's many benefits. The introduction of EPA and DHA fatty acids lower inflammation of membrane tissues throughout the cow's body. In turn it suppresses the production of the pregnancy-terminating hormone PGF2𝒶 which leads to increased fertility rates. Lower inflammation of the udder tissue leads to increased milk yields and lower infection rates. Higher proportions of Omega 3 also leads to increased milk quality, and increased colostrum quality, which in turn leads to to healthier calves.

Suggested Feeding Program for Transition & Fresh Calved Cows

The close-up period is critical in determining the success of both calving and the coming lactation.

The mian priorities of nutrition are to avoid the symptoms of Ketosis, clinical and sub-clinical milk fever, and to encourage a good immune response post-calving. Post calving diets should be well balanced and palatable.

The key tasks are as follows:

• Maintain a physically large rumen by feeding a palatable bulky & dense ration!
• Keep a stable microbe population, feeding some of the high-yield group TMR both pre and post-calving.

• Where the forage (silage/grass) is high in potassium you will need to restrict the amount fed to 3 or 4 KG of dry matter per cow per day (around 10-12 KG fresh-weight), pre-calving.
• Feeding Optomega Plus has been shown to significantly improve conception rates.
• Feed around 300ml of F1 Elevator to bridge the energy gap.
• Feeding F1 Yeast helps with microbe population efficiency and transition from the dry cow diet to the production diet.